MAM
Advertising on TV continues to flourish, reveals GroupM’s Consumer Eye Research
Mumbai: GroupM has launched Consumer Eye Research, which seeks to uncover insights related to the impact of media-related technologies on brands and society. The latest edition of the report, titled “Advertising on TV: Flagging or Flourishing,” analysed the potential of advertising on television.
The findings of the survey reveal that television continues to be the most beneficial and demanding medium for advertising.
The past two decades have seen rapid transformations in the media landscape, with the number of options available to advertisers significantly increasing. Many of these options offer excellent opportunities for brands to reach audiences with high levels of precision, customization, and measurability.
While this transformation is beneficial for many advertisers, TV continues to retain a power that can be leveraged by advertisers, according to the report.
Additionally, the digital extensions of TV have not only given rise to new ways for people to consume content but have also created a myriad of opportunities for brands to engage with audiences through TV.
TV makes the world a better place
60 per cent of the surveyed respondents agreed that free TV channels make the world a better place. Hence, TV remains a very important medium for influencing mindsets and shaping cultural behaviour. The second most preferable medium to make the world a better place is the newspaper, according to 56 per cent of the survey respondents.
TV retains a unique strength in building brand equity
The report reveals that television is still the most popular channel that conveys the most positive impression of brands. In APAC, TV ads are ranked No. 1 for conveying a positive impression of brands. In fact, TV ads (39 per cent) received equal weightage alongside the recommendations of friends (39 per cent).
TV offers a brand-safe environment
73 per cent of audiences believe it is a brand’s responsibility to control where their advertising appears. 45 per cent will have a negative opinion of the brand if it appears next to inappropriate or offensive content. The report demonstrates that TV is still one of the safest environments that allow for brands to be seen next to premium, high quality content.
TV is still a tremendous entertainment platform for consumers worldwide. The verdant environment also offers many opportunities for creative innovation and impactful campaigns. More than ever before, brands can take advantage of TV’s addressable transformation by considering new formats like shoppable ads and dynamic creative ads that dangle bespoke offers in front of the target audience.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
